


The Devil's Own Luck

by IsisKitsune



Series: The Devil's in the details [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Claire Temple is So Done, Family Feels, Gen, Human Disaster Matt Murdock, Human Disaster Peter Parker, Identity Reveal, Matt Murdock Needs a Hug, Murdock Luck I guess would be it instead for this universe, Parker Luck, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Matt Murdock's Biological Child, Peter gets his powers, Reveal, Sickfic, Superhero Babysitter Claire Temple, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23676094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: Matt blinked out of his focus, hearing keys jingle and tilted his head toward the door. Hearing it open, a soft tap against the frame made him frown and stand up, “Matt? You in?”“Peter, everything alright?” He quickly made it around the corner to blink at the boy, he- couldn't even recognize him at that moment.“Just, feel sick, can I- stay until I feel well enough to go home?”Matt nodded, frowning, “Didn't you have a, school thing, over at Oscorp?”Peter was nodding, “Yeah, not, feeling too good. Can I crash on your couch?”
Relationships: Matt Murdock & Peter Parker
Series: The Devil's in the details [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704817
Comments: 10
Kudos: 469





	The Devil's Own Luck

Matt blinked out of his focus, hearing keys jingle and tilted his head toward the door. Hearing it open, a soft tap against the frame made him frown and stand up, “Matt? You in?”

“Peter, everything alright?” He quickly made it around the corner to blink at the boy, he- couldn't even recognize him at that moment.

“Just, feel sick, can I- stay until I feel well enough to go home?”

Matt nodded, frowning, “Didn't you have a, school thing, over at Oscorp?”

Peter was nodding, “Yeah, not, feeling too good. Can I crash on your couch?”

“Yeah, um, I'll let May know.” Peter flinched away from the grip on his arm before hugging onto Matt as they shuffled toward the couch. Once the teen had flopped onto it, Matt reached out to pull off his glasses and set them on the table, putting away the pages he'd been working with before going to get the spare pillow and a blanket to tuck the kid in. He felt so clammy, but he didn't have a fever, at least not yet. “Did you eat something off?”

Peter slowly shook his head, “Not that I know of. Have to ask Aunt May if she feels sick too.”

Matt couldn't hear the sounds of a pissed of stomach, just a general annoyed and empty one. Please, do not let him be cleaning up bile all afternoon, was the only thing he could think as he grabbed his phone and headed into his bedroom. “May, it's Matt, Peter apparently isn't feeling well. He, just, came over and he's crashing on my couch until he feels well enough to head home. Is it alright if he stays the night if it gets rough?”

“Oh, dear, um, do you have things for him?”

“He, yeah, might be a little big but if need be I can lend him some clothes while he's here. I can have the old ones washed before he heads back. I'll, give my friend a call if it gets too rough, she's a nurse. She'll be able to help me get him right as rain, hopefully as soon as possible.”

“I know I was a little hesitant for him to have your spare, but I'm really glad you gave it to him.”

Matt sighed, “So am I. I should go, get him outa his sick clothes while he's conscious. Maybe get some food in him, I could hear his stomach growling,” from here, he didn't add.

“Peter usually sticks to chicken ramen when he's sick. Soup is just, too rich for his stomach.”

Matt smirked, “Campbell's household?”

May let out a soft chuckle, “Usually, yeah,” she didn't add, when we have the money or on sale, but Matt knew.

“I think I have a bit easier soup for him. I can test it out later when he's actually feeling up to food. Any other tips?”

“He's the 'hold himself up in his room until he feels better' type when sick.”

Matt nodded, “Alright, that I can understand. I'll give you a ring when he feels better. Um, can you take care of calling the school if he ends up staying to night?”

“Sure, Matt, just let me know if he's staying the night.”

“And let me know if you start feeling sick, he wasn't sure if he just ate something off or not, but he said the last thing he ate was with you. It must have come on quick.”

“I will, Matt, go take care of our boy.”

Matt couldn't help but smile, “I will, goodbye May.”

“Talk to you soon, Matt.”

Matt shuffled around his room, finding some shorts, that he honestly had no clue when he'd picked up, probably some gift from Foggy, and an old comfortable t-shirt before heading back to the poor sick teen on his couch. “Peter, can you change clothes? You'll feel better without all the layers.”

Peter shifted, he was at the shivering point, standing as Matt reached out to touch his forehead. He still wasn't running a fever, thank god, but he was still so clammy and chilled, and horrifyingly quiet as he took the clothes and shuffled down the hall to change. “Are these swim trunks?”

Matt blinked then chuckled, “It would explain why they're the only shorts I have that aren't boxers.”

Peter shuffled back in, looking even smaller and more miserable, “Where do you want-”

Matt reached out to take them from him, “I'll throw these in the washer. Are you feeling hungry yet?”

Peter shook his head, “No,” and flopped back on the couch, shifting and reaching up to grip Matt's hand when he tucked him in.

“Feel like you need a bucket?”

Peter gulped, hard enough to make Matt not trust the, “No.”

“I'm going to call a friend while you get some rest. And probably pick up some things to help. So, if I'm not here when you wake up, you know I'll be right back.” Peter gave a hum, indicating he understood, as he rolled away and kept shivering and twitching as sleep finally took him. Matt was honestly a worrying mess, he kept wanting to hug the kid each time he felt and heard a twitch or whimper, but he forced himself away to grab the burner. “Claire, um, quick question. Um, my nephew is sick, do you have time to stop by and check him out and maybe some, tips for me?”

Claire let out a sigh, “Sick?”

Matt shrugged, “He just, showed up, he's- gotta be pale as clammy as he is. He's not feverish, at least not yet. Whatever it is, he had to have it hit suddenly for him to not even try to get home. He came here instead, usually he prefers to get home when he's sick.”

“Clammy, not feverish, anything else I should know about?” Matt could hear the tone, but he just replied, 'no', “Alright, how old is he?”

Matt huffed out, “14, no wait, his birthday was a few months ago, he's 15.”

“He one of the bigger kid 15 or the baby 15?”

Matt lifted a hand, “He's, gangly? Scrawny 15? Actually he's just like I was at 15,” Matt grumbled, “Um, you're asking for medicine, aren't you?”

“Yeah- I'll pick you up some kid strength medicine, since I already know you've got the adult version. Just, keep an eye on him, if a fever starts, call me back and try to keep him cool.”

Matt nodded, “Right, okay. Um, can you grab some chicken ramen too? He, appears to prefer it when he's sick, and I haven't kept ramen in the house since college.”

“Yeah, at least no one's bleeding out this time.”

Matt snorted, “Yeah, there is that.” Just the thought of that, made as shiver run down his spine. “I'll see you when you get here.”

Claire let out a huff of laughter as Matt heard her shoulder her gear, “Yeah, right.”

Matt sighed when the call disconnected and put away the phone, rubbing his eyes as he went over to check on Peter again. He let out a sad sigh as he grabbed the twitching hand and winced at the harsh squeeze before he touched his shoulder when it finally registered that he was cold. Not just chilled but actually cold, “Goddamnit,” he tried to relax his grip, hoping Peter would let go so he could get him more blankets, but he wasn't so lucky, “Come on, Pete, let me go so I can get something to warm you up.” He winced at the harsher grip as the boy started trembling. “Peter, wake up, it's just a bad dream. Come on, buddy, wake up.” Matt knelt down and hugged him, “Come on, it's okay, come back up from it. Just a bad dream,” it was at the point he really hoped it was, but the kid just clung to him, Matt was at least appreciating the fact that just being close was enough to help warm the teen back up. “It's alright, Peter, you're safe.” Matt really wished he'd unfolded the couch but he ended up just pulling the blanket around them both and resigned to sweating as he waited for Claire to get there with some reinforcements when Peter still wouldn't let up on his grip. At least he was warming up now.

“Matt,” was called as the door cracked open, “You still here? Or am I going to have to explain things to the kid?”

Matt sighed, “On the couch,” he called before smiling when Peter finally seemed to relax his grip, “He's still clammy, and he's cold. Like really cold.”

Claire shuffled at the edge of the wall, Matt dropped his head when he knew she was glaring at him, before she stalked forward and knelt to start checking over Peter. “He been conscious?”

“He fell asleep soon after we settled him there after getting him changed. He's running cold, like really cold.” Claire was listening to his chest, making Matt smile, “His lungs are cleared, no coughing or anything either. His pulse has been, weird. Quick, like, anxious paced.”

“Has it been thready?”

Matt shook his head, “Just, quicker, bordering on panic fast. For him at least.”

Claire made an annoyed but acknowledging sound, “You said he was running cold?”

Matt nodded, “At least 5 degrees below his normal temperature.”

Claire flinched, “No reason? It's, not the cold in here.”

Matt shook his head, “No, he wasn't that cold when he got here. It's progressed. I had him change into shorts and a t-shirt in case he started running a fever, made sure he had a blanket in case he got chilled while he slept. He just, started feeling really cold.” Matt's head shot up when Claire reached out with the thermometer, one of those 'gun' style to use in the ear. “Stop.”

Claire froze and then turned to him, “What? It's a thermometer, Matt, ease up on the paranoia, I know I've used this around you before.”

“His, heart rate just spiked.”

Claire huffed and patted Peter's arm, barely a shift in response before reaching up to pat his cheek, getting a harsh flinch and turn, “Peter, um, I'm Claire, I'm a friend of Matt's. I'm going to take your temperature, so if you hear me, it's going to be touching your ear. I need you to hold still.”

Matt was pacing behind the couch, head tilting to listen as the teen shifted when Claire got it into his ear. He relaxed a little when all the teen did was shift before settling. “Just, try to keep him from grabbing onto you. He had a death grip on my hand before you got here.”

Claire huffed out a sigh, waiting for the numbers, before Matt flinched. Oh, it was going to be a day... The moment the machine beeped, Matt's would exploded into a flurry of panicked heart beats and limbs as the teen shot off the couch as if someone had just fired a gun. Matt automatically reached out to grab the blur of movement, grabbing him around the middle and squeezing him tight to his chest, “It's okay, it's okay, it's Matt. It's Matt, calm down, Peter.”

Matt felt resistance when he tried to pull him the rest of the way over the couch, blinking at the foot still connected to it, lifting the front legs off the ground, before he started relaxing and it slammed onto the floor when Peter's legs curled under him as Matt set him down, “Uncle Matt?”

“Yeah, Pete, it's okay. Just, you got startled by the thermometer. It's okay, musta been a really bad dream...” The kid had had nightmares before when he was over, none to cause that type of response though. “Deep breath, it's alright.”

Peter was still flinching, making Matt frown and hug him tighter, “What's that sound?”

Matt frowned and tilted his head as he listened, it took him way too long to answer, “Like, ticking?”

“It's, crashing.” Peter winced and covered his ears.

Matt tilted his head toward Claire, whose head was tilted in confusion, focusing until he heard it, “Claire's watch...”

“It's really loud, why is it so loud?”

“Matt, a word.”

Peter finally seemed to be able to let him go, as Matt settled him on the couch, covering him up and smiling sadly as he curled up inside the now cooling blanket before Claire all but drug him out of the apartment. Matt held up a finger, he honestly did not want to put the kid through the same thing he'd gone through. Even if, in a way, he already had. “Uncle Matt?”

“Claire, if your watch sounded like a bomb to him, he can hear you.”

“ _Uncle_ Matt.”

Matt growled as he opened the door, “Buddy, we're going to go grab some food for when you feel better. You gonna be okay while we're gone?”

Peter let out a soft whine, making Matt rush through the apartment, digging through a drawer until he found what he was looking for and kneeling down in front of the teen. He set the headset over his ears, giving a relieved sigh when the teen seemed to relax, “Thank you.”

Matt reached up to ruffle his hair and kiss his brow, “We'll be right back, okay?” Peter nodded, Matt stepped away before he could risk breaking down about the fact he'd still heard him, even through his noise canceling headphones.

Matt grabbed his cane, squeezing probably a little harder than he should have when Claire began to talk before falling quiet as he practically drug her with him, “Stay quiet.”

“Uncle Matt... Matt,” Claire was about to start a full on rant, and trust him, Matt understood why.

“Give it another 2 blocks, Claire.”

“It's obvious you know? I should have seen it the moment I looked at him... He's got your eyes, and jaw, he just hasn't grown into it yet.”

Matt was hoping beyond hope Peter's hearing wasn't well enough to hear them. “Yeah, he does.”

“So-”

“He's, his mother was a girlfriend from undergrad. She, had to relocate when she changed her path. We, never crossed paths again until 6 years after. She, died, and I received the information that we had had a son.”

“He doesn't know,” Claire sighed, “Why?”

Matt dropped his head, “He already had a family, Claire, a mom and dad that loved him, an aunt and uncle there for him. I, couldn't just take his family away from him.”

“He's 15 Matt, why doesn't he know?”

Matt sighed, tilting his head up, “I'm under contract. Until he's 21, it's his aunt and uncle's call, not mine. So, they chose 'Uncle' Matt and we've left it at that. I get him on the weekends and on weekdays when he doesn't have school or gets out early or when they're running late or when they're on break.”

“Matt, this... you're on a slippery slope.” Claire huffed out an annoyed sound when Matt pulled her toward the door of a bodega. “Seriously, Matt?”

“You forgot the ramen. I'm picking some up, need anything else for him?”

Claire huffed out a sigh and shrugged, “So, is he like you?”

Matt shook his head, “Or at least, he wasn't before today. Kid wears glasses. Poor guy couldn't see clearly for more than a few feet. He never showed anything beyond normal capacity, at least with his senses. His brain though, he's, really smart.”

“Okay, so, new development. Yours were caused by the accident, not genetics though.”

“Yeah,” Matt mumbled as he reached out, nose crinkling up as he sniffed at a package, “Pork?”

“Close, Roasted Pork. Chicken two to the right.”

Matt laid the package back down before shifting right, sniffing and frowning, “This is chicken?”

“Yeah, it's chicken and mushroom, but it's chicken.”

Matt sighed, “There any normal chicken?”

Claire sighed as she checked the shelf, reaching back to grab one, “This one?”

Matt scrunched his nose at the familiar scent, “That's the old college nightmare fuel...”

Claire laughed, “There's only 4 of them. Can probably ask for more.”

Matt grabbed the rest of the packages and shook his head, “I hope he's able to stand real food before we get through 4.”

Claire snorted, “So, he's yours.” Matt nodded as he paid for the ramen and grabbed the bag, “You've known this for... 7 years now? And you still haven't told him?”

Matt sighed, “I'm under contract, Claire... I can't tell him, and don't you dare. May and Ben are the ones in charge of that choice.”

“You honestly have a contract regarding a child, Matthew...”

Matt felt the ramen shift when he flung his hand away from him, “I, didn't want to take him away from his family. But I wanted to be part of his life, so, yes, we're all 3 under contract. I am 'Uncle Matt' to the kid, his actual aunt an uncle have guardianship since the death of his parents and they decide, because I trusted them to know when the boy was ready to know. I could have just put in the paperwork to be declared biological father, but that would have taken him away from the only family he had left and put him with a stranger. I, couldn't stand the thought of that. So, we have a contract.”

“You are going to need cardiac surgery for that bleeding heart, Matt...”

Matt snorted, “Know any good surgeons?”

Claire chuckled and shook her head, “So, he won't learn it from me.”

Matt sighed, “Knowing my luck, the kid could still hear you from the street.”

“Yeah, well, I'll make sure your boy is taken care of and then I'll get out before I fuck it up.”

“Claire, thank you,” Matt smiled before Claire huffed and shoved the door open for him.

“Don't thank me, yet, Matt. We still gotta figure out what the hell caused the kid to have all this shit happen to him.”

Matt nodded as he started up the stairs, “Yeah, there is that.”

“So, what happened?”

Matt shrugged when they finally reached his door, “Kid had some trip to Oscorp, some future scientists thing. He came to my place, he wasn't feeling up to making it home.”

Matt blinked and then rushed around to the kitchen, hearing clanking and munching, sighing at the cold air from the fridge, “Peter, you should be resting.”

Peter gulped down a bite, “I'm, starving... you shouldn't keep your fridge empty, there's like nothing in it...” Matt grabbed the bottle held up, no doubt way too quick, “Except beer and some milk and juice. Seriously, Matt, how areyou this buff and eating like a rabbit,” Peter was munching on some lettuce Matt still had in the fridge.

“I usually don't eat at home,” Matt grumbled before he tossed the bag down, “I take it you're up for some real food then.” He was already grabbing a pot to start boiling water for the ramen.

“I'm just, starving. Maybe I'm hitting a growth spurt,” Peter was shrugging as Matt frowned and tilted his head toward him.

“Claire, one last favor?”

Claire sighed, “The kid is still a bit pale and looks a touch clammy.”

“Not that, can you pick up some real food from the Thai place at the corner? I'll give you my card.”

Claire sighed before nodding, “Yeah, what do you want?”

“Thai,” Peter mumbled around a handful of chips Matt had on the counter, “Um, Phat Thai? Oh um, if they have Masala some of that too.” Peter shrugged at Matt's head tilt, “Our usual Thai place is an Indian fusion, they have Masala.”

Matt finally nodded, “Get 4 orders,” Claire's eyes were wide, “I'll explain later.”

“Okay, Phat Thai and Masala if they have it, but I doubt they have it here. It's basic Thai.”

Peter just shrugged and oo'd at something on the counter, making Matt rolls his eyes when the kid grabbed an apple to munch on. Matt dropped the dry noodles and seasoning into the pot when he realized it was boiling as he shifted out of the way when Peter grabbed for his cereal and smirked at the grumble before the kid ate it anyway. “Feeling better?”

“I'm just, starving.” Matt was trying to plate noodles, he ended up stepping back when the kid wedged himself in front of him to just grab the pot and a fork.

“Hey, careful, that's scalding hot,” Matt carefully pulled the pot away, wincing at the slap of hot water on his arm while the kid slurped up the noodle he'd been trying to eat. “Go sit down, I'll bring you food.” He threw an orange to the kid to pacify him before he shoved him toward the other side of the island. He jerked his hand back once he set the plate down, expecting a fork through the hand as the kid scarfed down his food. “There's... plenty more, don't make yourself sick.”

Peter sounded like he'd just discovered the food of the gods while Matt tried to not feel sick at the smell and flavor coming off the instant noodles. “Just, really hungry. I don't know what's gotten into me.”

Matt smiled when he heard Claire's steps inside the building, “What happened on your trip?”

Peter perked up, finally slowing down, “We were going on a tour of the Oscorp facility, going through the different R&D areas. And, I, kinda got separated. I saw this, really weird- it was like, string or something, they were developing and testing a new type of material. I, just, the door was open, okay?”

Matt blinked, “Open,” the heart rate started pounding harder, “Just, open?”

Peter scrunched down in his chair as he ate his noodles, “It was... after the guard walked out of it... I caught it before it swung closed.”

Matt snorted, Peter was definitely his son. “And then?”

“It was like, this giant room, of just, weaving. Like, oh you don't watch tv, um, there was this 'How it's made' thing. It was a sock maker. It was this like huge machine that spun and wove these little strands of yard into a center, I couldn't see what they were weaving though, that part was block off. But, the room was like, really oddly lit and then I... messed up-”

Matt stepped forward, “How'd you mess up?”

“I touched it. And, I didn't realize it wasn't fabric, it was- all these spiders just started, jumping from it. I got out of there quick but I just, couldn't throw them all off.”

Matt circled around, grabbing his hand and started to run his fingers over it, “Did one bite you? What'd they look like?” He reached up, checking for damage.

“I, felt like a sting, here,” Matt tensed when his hand was set down, instantly feeling the damage and heat from the body attacking or being attacked by the venom. “I, felt really out of it so I came here since it was closer.”

Claire reached the door in time for Matt to turn, “Peter was bit by a spider.”

“Okay, what type?” Claire set the bags down, making Peter instantly focus and grab for them and start eating. “What'd it look like, Peter? How'd you feel when it bit?”

Peter wince at the feel of gloves, “It was, different, never seen anything like it. Like, almost like it was made of glass?”

“He said they were testing new materials, apparently the spider produced the one they were testing.”

Claire cursed as she checked over the bite, “Matt, this is bad, I can't just- hush up a venom test. It, looks infected but by now he should have shown signs of something. Necrosis, heart arrhythmia, if it was something like a black widow he'd probably have had a heart attack by now, but if it was like a recluse it might take a few days to tell if it's necrotic. If it was a neurotoxin of some kind he would have already had some sever movement issues especially being on his neck.”

“I'm, honestly, just really hungry,” Peter said, through a mouthful.

Matt sighed, rubbing his eyes, what was he going to do? He didn't want the kid hurt but at the same time, if they went to the hospital about it... The kid was already showing signs of being 'abnormal', he didn't want him to be put through what he had as a kid. “How long would you say signs would have shown?”

“Depending on the bite, the size of the child, the fortitude, hours at most and that's the absolute longest timeframe.”

“What's the chances it was just, a weak bite? Something enough to make him feel sick?”

“With him eating as much as he is, I'd say high, but do you really want to chance that-” with your kid, hung in the air.

“I feel fine, I don't, no hospitals, please? We, can't afford that. Uncle Ben nearly lost his health insurance because of hour cuts already I don't want to put him through that.”

Matt tensed, his foot tapping, trying to figure out what they were going to do. “You're staying the night.” Peter started to protest, “You are staying the night, Claire is a nurse, and if anything goes wrong I have a direct line to someone that knows for a fact of it it's ambulance worthy. So, you are under watch, if, if you're feeling better tomorrow you can go to school but I already told May I'd call her with an update. So, just, don't make yourself sick. Claire, can you, stick around for a few hours? Just, to be sure since he seems to be recovering? Help keep an eye on the bite.”

Claire huffed out a sigh and nodded, “Fine, I'll stay, but you better have something more entertaining than the billboard to watch.”

Matt snorted, “I got a tv when Peter started coming over, it's just in my room, since he likes laying on my bed to do his homework while watching it.”

Claire blinked and walked over to peak her head in, “Huh, never realized that before.”

Matt grimaced, “Other things on our mind.” Claire did not look amused, Peter caught the wince inducing glare and went back to eating.

-

Matt grumbled and blinked when his alarm went off, jerking upright when he heard a crash, “Peter!” He jumped up, stumbling through the doorway, alarm still blaring in the background, “Peter?”

The kid was panicking, curled up on the couch, the remains of Matt's coffee table scattered in front of it, “I'm sorry, I- I thought it was my alarm, I, hit the table and it just-” Matt rushed forward, blinking when Peter jumped up and over to stop him, “Wait, there's, glass, the coffee table had a glass top. Um, I'll, I'll clean it up.”

Matt was frowning and hugging him when the fearful pounding kept up, “You feeling alright?”

Peter shook his head before, “Yes.”

Matt snorted out a laugh, “Liar.”

Peter whined, “I, hit the table and it just, exploded, I'm just, really shook up.”

Matt shook his head and smiled, “It was getting old, the glass probably had a crack in it and that was just the final stressor. Come on, watch your feet, let's get you some breakfast. I'll take care of it.”

Peter frowned, suddenly feeling like he was 6 again, when he'd accidentally dropped something and Matt had scooped him up and told him to just be careful and make sure to tell him if he'd broken something and stay away from the glass when it happened. “You can't see it.”

Matt snorted and smiled, nearly picking Peter up when he planted his feet but he finally let himself be pulled toward the kitchen, “Seeing is overrated,” he gave Peter that same wink every time he'd mentioned it growing up, settling the kid out of the path of danger when something was broken or fell. He flinched when Matt patted his shoulder before he went to get the broom, “And make me some too, while you're at it.”

Peter nodded, reaching up, nearly as familiar with the space as his uncle was, grabbing some bowls and honestly not really in the mood for much more than cereal at that point. “Matt, your alarm is going off. Don't you have to work?”

Matt tapped the alarm on his way through with the broom, “I've got plenty of time, Foggy won't be here for at least 30.” He was cleaning up the glass, tilting his head at Peter following his movements, “How are you feeling?”

“Just, everything is still just, a lot.”

“Which type of 'a lot'?”

Peter winced at a trunk horn, “A lot.”

Matt was nodding, “Um, focusing can help, at least it'll help pull that 'too much' feeling to a point. At least it helps me, if I need something to concentrate on. Keeps from, being overwhelmed. Then, you can make sense of what it is and that helps even more, at least with the 'too much' feeling to it.”

Peter was shuffling, “Okay,” Matt frowned at the worried actions while he cleaned up the rest of the glass.

“You know what this means?” Matt sighed once he finally got it cleaned up, “This means Karen is going to drag me shopping again...”

Peter snorted, “Can I go with?”

“You just want to watch me suffer, don't you?”

Peter snickered, “Naaaah.”

Matt was grinning, “So, are you up for going to school?”

Peter actually flinched, “Everything is just, still a lot. Think I have a migraine coming on or something.”

Matt stood up and headed toward the kitchen, reaching out to wrap his hand around the side of Peter's head, “Your glasses giving you headaches?” He wasn't wearing them... “Is it time to get your eyes checked again?”

Peter seemed to jerk away, blinking before rushing to his backpack to rummage in it. “Um, I- I can see without them.” Matt was tilting his head and frowning. “Um, this, okay, this is weird.”

“You're staying home, I'll let May know, just, work on trying to help things from being 'too much' right now. And remember to eat your breakfast.”

“Okay,” Peter mumbled as he nodded. “Did, dad have migraines? Like this?”

Matt froze in the middle of grabbing his phone, “I, don't know, kinda hard to tell without seeing. But, I know I had them. Sensory overload. Just, settle somewhere quiet and calmly bring yourself up from it. Somewhere dark probably helps better, but that I wouldn't know myself.” Peter nodded as he finished his bowl and went to wash it, he yelped and jumped back the faucet snapped off. “Peter,” Matt jumped up to grab his hand, “What happened?”

Peter was trembling and grabbing a towel to try to control the water spraying as Matt dove under the sink and finally the flow slowed before stopping, “I, I don't know, I just, turned the tap on.”

Matt held up a hand as he sat up, “It's alright, are you okay?”

“Yeah, um, yeah,” he whined when he couldn't drop the tap still in his hand.

Matt reached out and frowned as he tugged on it, “It's okay, you can let go of it.”

Peter actually whined and shook his head, “I can't, it's like stuck.”

Matt held on and rubbed at Peter's shoulder, “It's okay, just relax, your heart is going a mile a minute. Just take a deep breath, and relax.”

Matt was finally able to get Peter to drop the metal, wrapping his arms around him, “What's wrong with me?”

“It's okay, Peter, it'll be okay. We'll figure this out together.” Matt winced when Peter's arms tightened, “Easy, buddy, my ribs are sore.”

Peter winced and stepped back, “I'm sorry.”

Matt just grabbed him before he could back up any more and hugged him just as tight, “It's okay, don't be afraid, just, easy, alright?”

Peter nodded as he gently hugged him back, “Okay.”

Matt nodded and hugged him tight, “Okay, let's start off small,” he smiled as he tilted the teens head up, “Let's start out with getting use to how strong you are, alright? So you don't accidentally break things.”

Peter was nodding as he stepped away, hugging himself while Matt grabbed a random piece of paper and crumpled it up and set it in his hand, “What's this for?”

“You hear it shift, right? Pay attention to the sound it makes and the feeling when you press too hard and make it bend. Get use to being careful with something until you can figure out what's 'holding' grip and what's 'breaking' grip, alright?”

Peter was nodding as his fingers played with the paper while Matt got a glass down along with one of the skillets, “Okay, so, just, easy?”

“Yep, like everything's made of glass right now. Be gentle with it.” Matt held onto his hands, “See, that was enough to move it but not enough to cause it to fold on the bends. Just, nice and gentle.”

Peter was nodding, taking deep breaths as he carefully reached out and tapped the glass, almost like Matt would when he was testing distance before resting his hand against it. “Okay,” Matt smiled and laid his hand on his shoulder before stepping over to check the silverware Peter had been using, wincing but not too surprised at the literal fingerprints indented into the metal. “I think I got it,” Matt tilted his head at Peter holding the glass and smiled as he nodded when he set it back down. “I just, guess I wasn't paying attention?” Matt winced and Peter jumped back when setting it down caused a clink, which made him reflexive tighten his grip, shattering the glass.

“Pet-” Matt blinked and stepped back, “Peter, are you okay?”

Peter was, perched on the windows, next to the kitchen. “Yeah, um, there might be a problem... Um, I can't, I need help getting down.”

Matt messed up, he stepped up to reach out, “Um, relax?” He grabbed for Peter's arm, confused and unsure, “Just, nice and easy, relax, and, reach out for me.”

Peter was tugging, whining when his hand wouldn't come lose, “Deep breath, relax, nice and easy,” he didn't want to ruin Matt's windows but he wanted down...

He couldn't seem to calm his heart down until Matt finally got one of his hands free. “There we go, relax, it's alright.” Peter finally slumped against him, making him hug him tight and stumble when the kid just, dropped off the wall. “There we go, it's alright. Just, deep breath, relax.”

“What are we going to do,” Peter whispered as Matt winced at the sound of Foggy entering the building.

“Just, it's your choice, buddy, but Foggy should be here any minute.”

“Right,” Peter whined as he slowly and carefully stepped over to the couch, “You never called Aunt May.”

“I didn't, I'll do that. Do you want me to stay home today with you? Or, do you maybe want to come with us for the day?”

Peter winced and curled up at the thought, “I, don't want to be alone, but I don't trust myself to, not break something.”

Matt nodded as he walked to the door in time to open it for Foggy, “It's, a day. Just, easy voices and don't spook the kid.”

“Everything okay?”

“He's got a migraine brewing. He stopped by sick as a dog and worried about making it home so he's staying until it passes.”

“You okay, buddy? You look like you've seen a ghost, and that's saying something.”

Matt snorted out a laugh, “Think I might have the same bug, you gonna be okay on your own today?”

“I'm not alone, Karen'll be at the office too. Call me if you need anything, and I will be by after work-”

“Ugh, no Foggy.”

“With the Nelson patented all cure for the flu.”

“I feel even sicker just thinking about it. No cure alls, just, maybe let Karen know I need to schedule a shopping trip with her? Had a run-in with time, the coffee table finally shattered.”

“That old thing actually gave up the ghost? I thought that thing was immortal at this point.”

Matt snickered, “Yeah, me too. I'll catch you later, but I need to call May, let her know Peter's doing better but isn't up to school today.”

“Alright buddy, feel better little buddy,” Foggy called and held up a hand toward Peter's huddled and nodding form, “He definitely takes after you in the looking miserable department.”

Matt shook his head, “I'll talk to you after work, go on, you'll be late.”

“I am a full blown Partner, Partners are never late.”

“Remind me to use that one the next time you bitch at me about being late.”

Peter chuckled, making Matt smile as Foggy headed out without his partner. “You don't have to stay. I feel well enough to get back home.”

“It's alright, Peter, you're still not 100% yet. Just, take it easy.”

Peter grumbled, “More like 1 thousand percent.” Matt chuckled then sighed at, “You forgot to tell Foggy I ruined your sink...”

Matt shook his head, “I'll fix it later. Okay, back to figuring things out. What, um, was that thing about with you on the wall?”

Peter shrugged, “I have no idea, it just, I jumped and stuck. Then I couldn't get unstuck, then I just sorta fell off.”

Matt sighed, “Alright, so, where do we start first?”

Peter flailed his hands, “I don't know, it's just, everything is-”

“It's a lot, but just, pick a starting point.”

“Okay, um, the wall sticking thing is definitely a 'wtf' thing I want to know about.”

Matt huffed out a laugh, “Alright, we- we'll start there I guess, just, no getting on the ceiling, alright? Stick just to walls right now.”

Peter was nodding, “Yeah, uhuh, okay, so, how do we start this?”

Matt snorted as he walked over to set a hand against the brick, “Just, try to stay off the windows, as old as they are I'm surprised they survived you jumping onto them.”

Peter stood and nodded as he shook himself, “Alright so, just- go for it.”

Matt nodded, “Don't worry, I'll catch you.”

Peter glared at the ceiling before reaching out to smack Matt's arm, “Sure you will.”

Matt just laughed before turning his head and listening as Peter started up the wall, “Okay, can you get back down?”

Peter shifted and let out a sound that put Matt on edge, “Um, stuck again.”

“Relax, just like when you went up, just easy yourself down.”

Peter finally got himself to relax enough to easy back down, “Okay, so, that really did happen.”

Matt snorted as he hugged him, “You got a witness, buddy, breathe easy about that.”

Peter nodded and hugged back, this time much more gentle, “So, what, what am I supposed to do with this?”

Matt closed his eyes, “Just, remember- your teachings and upbringing, you're a good kid Peter, just always remember that.”

Peter nodded, “Yeah, you're right. And, you still haven't called May yet.”

“Right, I will, finally call May. You just, take it easy on the support beams? Last thing either of us want is a cave in.” Matt patted his shoulder, earning a somewhat worried laugh before he finally got around to,“Call May.” He kept his back turned but his head kept tilting upward as he kept track of Peter. “Hey, May, just giving an update, sorry it's later than I intended. Peter's feeling better but he's got a bad migraine starting up. It's causing him some sever sensitivity issues. It's rough enough he's saying he isn't ready to deal with everything at school. He's at the point of wincing at any real sound so I'm better it's really bad.”

“Alright, I'll call him in, just, please make sure he gets home tonight? Even if it's to stay home from school?”

“Don't worry, May, I'll make sure he gets back safe and sound.”

“Thank you, Matt.”

Matt couldn't help but flinch at the sound of feet on metal as he disconnected the call, “What are you doing up there?”

Peter pointed at him, “Ha! I knew you knew where I was earlier.”

“Yeah? And I told you to stay off the ceiling,” Matt growled, “Get down from there.”

“I'm on the rafters, not the ceiling.”

Matt groaned, “This is what I get for helping raise you...”

“Hey, I know what a loophole is, you taught me that first thing,” Peter crouched to watch him, “Alright, Matt. You know my secret, what's yours?”

Matt took a deep breath, “Shit.”

“Language,” Peter, the little shit, was definitely at 100%. At least that part made Matt's worry lessen. “So, spill.”

Matt growled and rubbed his eyes before stomping over to the closet and grabbing for the trunk. Peter, wisely, remained perched in the rafters but followed above him. Matt finally found it and threw it to him, smirking when he snagged it before dropping it as if it were on fire. “Yeah,” was all he said, all he really good say when the kid dropped down to grab the mask again.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.” Matt nodded, one secret down...

**Author's Note:**

> All honest truth I intended this verse to be a 'one and done' but at this point, it might turn into another "Witching Hour" series... You are warned


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